Store-window attraction



May 8,1923. T

' H. B. CLEMENTS STORE wmnow ATTRACTION Filed March 25, 1921 Patented May 8, 1923.

UNITE FHCE.

STORE-WINDOW ATTRACTION,

Application filed" March 23, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. CLEMENTS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Son'ierville, county of Middlesex, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in StoreWVindow Attractions, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts in each of the several views.

This invention relates to devices for attracting attention to store windows and the like, of a type wherein the interest of passersby is awakened by the exhibiton of moving figures or members, without any apparent means for causing the movement thereof.

In carrying out my invention 1 makeuse of a known principle of physics having to do with the movement of a figure or member immersed in a body of liquid by vary-' ing automatically the density of such figure rises in the liquid.

or member so that it periodically sinks and The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the distinctive features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of a pump employed with the invention.

10 indicates a hollow base which may be of any suitable or attractive design. This base is equipped with a seat- 11 adapted to receive and hold an upright transparent tubular column 12 which may be of glass,

while the base is preferably of wood or This tubular column is shown as metal; having a closed lower end 12 with an opening 12 at its top of a dimension to permit the insertion of a relatively small tube 13, and being closed by a suitable plug or sealing element 14. The tube 13 has a small opening 13 through its bottom and its top is formed with a relatively enlarged head 13.

The interior of the column 12 communicates adjacent its top with a passage 15 leading downward to the base 10. This pas- Serial No. 454,896.

sage is preferably formed and arranged so as to be substantially concealed particularly from the front of the device and for this purpose it may be molded or produced at the back of the column and integral therewith. The lower end of this passage communicates by a pipe 16 with an air pump 17. This pump which is shown of a reciprocating type is operated through suitable reducing connections 18 from a small electric motor 19, this motor and the connections together with the pump being housed and concealed in the base 10. The air pump 17 is preferably of a suction type comprising a cylinder 17 with a piston 17 operative therein and with the pipe 16 leading from the end of the cylinder in advance of the piston. A valved port- 17 is rovided in the cylinder adjacent the end t ereof with which the pipe 16 connects, this port opening to the atmosphere, and the valve therein permitting air to be forced out at each stroke while preventing the inflow of air. The cylinder also has an unvalved port 17 to the atmosphere intermediate the length thereof and well toward the end opposite the pipe 16. The purpose of thisis to prevent an accumulation of suction effect in the system such as would be calculated to cause the member 13 to stay always at the bottom of the column 12, this being avoided by the opening of the system to the atmosphere at every stroke as soon as the piston 17 is drawn inward behind the port 17.

It will be understood that in case the pump and the air circulating system be arranged for positive pressure, instead of suction, a similar provision for opening the system to the atmosphere at every stroke would be provided keeping the variations of pressure upon the liquid in the column 12 within relatively equalized limits.

I have found in practice that this is an important and necessary feature and provision, since otherwise the tube 13, after a short operation of the device, will cease to move up and down, but will remain constantly either atthe top or bottom of the column 12 as the case may be.

The ratio of speed reduction effected by the connections 18 is such as to operate the pump 17 at a relatively slow rate, preferably in the neighborhood of 8 strokes a minute. In use the column 12 is filled nearly to the top thereof with water or other suitable transparent liquid. The tube 13 is partially filled with liquid to an extent so that it will barely float in the liquid of the column.

With the parts so arranged and disposed, it may be understood that the operation of the pump 17 will cause a series of periodic variations in pressure upon the liquid in the column 12 which will cause a certain amount of liquid to enter the tube 13 with each increase of pressure compressing the air in the hollow head 13, and this excess of liquid will be forced out of the tube 13 by the air so compressed in the head 13 upon each successive lightening of the pressure in the column 12. These periodic movements of liquid into the tube 13 are suflicient to increase the density of said tube enough so that it will sink in the liquid of the column l2, to rise again when the excess liquid is forced out of the tube 13 as described.

Thus in the operation of the device the action of the pump 17 in the base will cause the tube 13 to rise and fall in the liquid of the column periodically and regularly without anything being visible to observers for causing such movement.

From the foregoing it will be understood that it is essential to the functioning of the device for its designed purpose,i. e., to awaken interest and curiosity, that the con nection 15 to the top of the column be sub stantially concealed from observation, and also that the operating means including the motor and the pump, be also concealed. This result is obtained in the described apparatus in a simple and inexpensive manner and with the entire device constituting a 'compact and self-contained unit with no exposed parts or connections subject to breakage or disarrangement. The tube 13, or particularly the head 13 thereof may be suitably colored so as to make it more conspicuous and render it opaque, so that its interior cannot be seen, thus increasing the quality of mystery attached to the device. This tube 13 may also hear extending from its top or otherwise any suitable advertising device or legend. 1 am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claim rather than to the fore going description to indicate the scope. of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A window stand attraction comprising an upright, transparent tubular column containing liquid, means concealed with respect to said column for causing automatic and periodic variation in pressure upon the liquid therein, said means including provision for establishing communication with the atmosphere at definite intervals to prevent a cumulative effect of variation in pressure, and a member immersed in the liquid of the column arranged to be responsive to such variations in pressure to cause the same to rise and descend in the column.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HENRY B. CLEMENTS. 

